Medal Alert: Gimson and Burnet silver rounds off sailing medal rush

John Gimson and Anna Burnet struck silver to complete one of the most remarkable days in British Olympic sailing history.

In the space of less than two hours, Stuart Bithell

and Dylan Fletcher won 49er gold and Giles Scott defended his Finn title, both in epic races that went right to the wire.

World Nacra 17 foiling champions Gimson and Burnet, who are coached by Sydney Olympic champion Iain Percy, always had a tough challenge to overall long-time fleet leaders, Ruggero Tita and Caterina Banti.

The Italians were leading the regatta since the first day and despite finishing one place ahead of them in the medal race, the British pair took silver.

Burnet, 28, from Shandon, said: "It's amazing. The team's had such an incredible day. 

"Seeing the 49er boys win gold before we went out, John found it a bit stressful I think with all of the emotion but I found it hugely inspiring and I'm so happy we're part of this team, which is performing so well.

"I just feel like John's someone who's the most deserving of an Olympic medal of anyone I've ever known. He's put so much work into this for so long. To help him achieve that, I'm just so happy."

Nacra 17 made its Olympic debut at Rio 2016 with this the first medal Team GB have won in the discipline.

Gimson, 38, from Congleton, said: "It's been worth every minute but most importantly I've done it for 20 years to get here. 

"An unbelievable amount of people have helped me along the way and just for them, to say thank you, I'm glad we did it. It would have been gutting to come and not go through with it. 

"A lot of people have volunteered their time and money and invested in us heavily so I'm just so happy we've followed through for them.

"Twice my discipline got dropped as a class. Just as a youngster having done one cycle ready to go for my campaign for the Games and it was dropped at the start of the cycle. 

"The second time I did that I'd sold my house and had literally no money and at that point I was questioning my life decisions but it was all worth it, all of it."